The two elements of this invention are the item mover and the item receiver wherein the user leisurely walks around pulling the item receiver with one hand and manipulating the item mover with the other hand, moving items into the item receiver and all the while remaining erect with no stooping or squatting down required for most items. This is accomplished by the fact that the item receiver is resting on the same surface, such as a lawn, as the item and movement of the item into the item receiver is essentially a movement of the item from one point on said surface to another point on the same surface with very little upward movement of the item required.
It is important to note that in stooping down to retrieve a pine cone, a person has to lift about half of his/her weight (say 50 to 100 pounds) when standing back up all in order to collect an item that probably weighs less than two ounces. This excessive energy waste and back and muscle strain is eliminated by this invention.
The item mover is comprised of a handle with a striking means attached to the lower portion of the handle, and a lifting means laterally attached to the bottom edge of the striking means, said lifting means extending outwardly to a lifting means front edge wherein the combination of the striking means and the lifting means is L shaped as viewed from the side. In use, the lifting means is nudged underneath an item, such as a pine cone, separating that item from its resting place. The handle is then moved by the user, forcing the item against the striking means which, in turn, propels the item into the item receiver. The lifting means also functions to keep the item in place against the striking means by not letting the item drop down which also results in a slightly upward direction of the trajectory of the propelled item. The slightly upwards trajectory is beneficial in that it allows the item to clear the barrier means located inside the item receiver and also other interferring obstacles, such as tall grass, the item may encounted on its journey into the item receiver.
The lifting means can also function as a hoe blade in a chopping action to dislodge embedded pine cones or rocks. It also can function as a rake blade to rake, for instance, a pile of pine straw into the item receiver. The handle is attached to the striking means in an offset position such that the item is a nominal distance in front and away from the user, similar to what the golf club provides the golfer. The handle is adjustably attached so that the handle can be adjusted for right hand or left hand use.
The item receiver is comprised of a containing means and a pulling means which is attached near the front end of the containing means. The containing means has an open front end through which items are moved into the containing means and come to rest on the bottom side inner surface of said containing means. The containing means is enclosed except for the front end portion. A barrier means located on the bottom side inner surface near the open front end places a barrier to prevent, to a limited degree, already collected items from falling out the open front end.
The item receiver can also be used as a storage device by placing it in an upright position with the open front end being the top. For instance, toys collected from a playroom floor could remain inside the item receiver until such time as they are used again.
This invention provides a superior means of collecting items because:
1) allows people to almost always remain erect with almost no stooping down or touching the item by hand required during the whole process of collection and disposal,
2) is light, relatively small and easy and simple to operate,
3) perform the item collection job more quickly,
4) requires a minimum of expended energyxe2x80x94the human body does not have to move up and down,
5) collects items in close and obscure places,
6) digs out and collects embedded items,
7) can also be used as a storage device,
8) is easily emptied,
9) is easily cleaned,
10) requires small storage area,
11) allows the user to select precisely the item the user desires to collect,
12) can collect almost any type item desired,
13) has a capacity of at least several bucketfulls which reduces the number of trips to and from the disposal area and
14) can be sold at a price that almost anyone could easily afford.